Screen Test: ‘Genie, Make a Wish’ — A Spellbinding Start or Slow Burn?
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“Genie, Make a Wish” Episode 1
Run Time: 54 minutes
Rating: 16+
Genre: Fantasy, Romantic Comedy
Subtitle Availability: English (CC), English, Filipino, Korean (CC), Korean
Audio Availability: Korean [Original], English, Japanese
Warnings: Contains violence
*SPOILER ALERT! This section contains details from the first episode of “Genie, Make a Wish.”
Nearly a decade after the 2016 melodrama “Uncontrollably Fond” had us swooning and sobbing in equal measure, actors Kim Woo-bin (“Black Knight,” “Our Blues”) and Bae Suzy (“Vagabond,” “Start-Up”) reunite onscreen in Netflix’s latest original series. How fitting it is to say that some wishes really do come true!
In “Genie, Make a Wish,” Kim Woo-bin plays a mysterious, mischievous genie who wakes up after a thousand-year nap when a cool and detached young woman named Ka-young (Suzy) ends up with his magic lamp. As tradition goes, a genie must grant its master three life-changing wishes, but this familiar fantasy takes a darker turn when it’s revealed that the genie is actually Iblis — the leader of devils and the very embodiment of temptation and corruption — who harbors a deep disdain for humankind.
Their unlikely partnership quickly spirals into chaos, turning Ka-young’s world upside down and pulling her into an unexpected and dangerously intoxicating romance with the devil himself.
With the series being written by Kim Eun-sook, who has penned some of the most acclaimed K-Dramas of the past decade, including “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God,” “Descendants of the Sun,” and “The King: Eternal Monarch,” expectations were naturally high. And with its fantasy rom-com premise, it felt like the perfect show to dive into just in time for spooky season.
However, after watching the first episode for a Screen Test, we couldn’t help but feel a little underwhelmed. The characters, while promising in promotional teasers and synopses, came across as rather shallow and hard to connect with. The episode also struggled to establish clear stakes early on. For a drama with only 13 episodes, three fewer than the typical K-Drama series, the pilot felt weighed down by filler scenes that could’ve been better used to build tension or deepen the conflict.
Here’s a closer look at our thoughts.
A Fantasy Comedy with a Devilish Twist
Compared to “Bon Appetit, Your Majesty,” which starts on a high note with the introduction of a critical moment in the storyline, “Genie, Make a Wish” begins with Once Upon a Time. We suppose it is fitting for the genre, allowing the story to unfold like the opening chapters of a novel.
The first scenes began with a deep dive into the genie’s origin lore, with Iblis narrating how he was created by a Supreme Being from smokeless fire. After the genies’ creation, some of them tried to go against their creator, which led to a war that lasted for 300 years. Iblis found it a waste of time and waited it out inside a lamp. After the war, the creator made the first humans and ordered angels and genies to bow to them, to which Iblis strongly refused.
Just as he was being cast out from heaven, he begged the Supreme Being to allow him to corrupt humans and send them to hell, wanting to show how pathetic the mortals were. The creator agreed, but on the condition that if he encounters a pure human soul, he will fall deeper into isolation and despair. This worked well for him for many years, easily tempting humans, until he crossed paths with a girl who used all her wishes to save others. He took some of her remains before she passed and vowed to seek his revenge once he was freed by a new master.
The show’s mythology draws heavily from Islamic lore, and we commend the writer for creatively blending the genie myth with the story of Iblis, who’s also known as Satan. The world-building is detailed and ambitious, which works both for and against the series. On one hand, it provides a rich origin story for the genie and sets a strong foundation for the leads’ past relationship. On the other, the heavy exposition makes the opening feel overwhelming, with too much information to absorb in just a few minutes.
The lore monologue is intercut with present-day scenes of Ka-young, allowing viewers to learn about Iblis’ history while visually being reintroduced to her, hinting that she’s the same girl he once met centuries ago.
Ka-young is introduced as a cold, emotionally detached woman whose backstory reveals that she was abandoned by her mother at a young age because of her psychopathic tendencies. The show hints at her inner turmoil through scenes that highlight both her violent streak and her suicidal impulses — most notably when she’s shown diving into the sea or submerging herself in a bathtub, holding her breath underwater for long minutes.
Her journey takes her to Dubai to confront her estranged mother, and much of the pilot is set there. It’s during this trip that she stumbles upon Iblis’ magic lamp buried in the desert sands, just as in the familiar tales of “Aladdin.”
We always appreciate a good destination drama, but seasoned K-Drama viewers will likely recognize the pattern: the exotic setting rarely lasts beyond an episode or two, as seen in “Vincenzo” and “The Legend of the Blue Sea.” The story will almost certainly shift back to Seoul, Ka-young’s home base. Still, the Dubai backdrop effectively establishes the genie’s origins and ties the story neatly to its mythical source material.
Ka-Young, as expected, is disbelieving of the mythical spirit that she awakened, thinking him a stalker or a homeless man with long hair. This was followed by a series of comedic scenes where the genie is trying to prove himself as a powerful being, all the while pushing her to make the three wishes. She tries to get rid of him by selling off the lamp and throwing it away, but all her attempts fail, and Iblis returns each time.
At the same time, Iblis also learns a little bit more about the modern world, clearly fascinated and often bewildered by how much has changed, from technology to towering skylines. This adds another layer to his character and sets up plenty of opportunities for lighthearted, comedic moments throughout the series.
Ka-young only starts to believe him when she gets caught talking to thin air by some tourists, realizing that only she could see the genie. He then takes her to fly across the city — Superman style — to impress her and prove that he is indeed who he says he is. They land on a helipad, where he once again asks her to make a wish.
The episode takes a dark turn when she gives in to her violent impulses and pushes him off the building. Iblis survives the fall, healing his broken body with magic, but the attack enrages him. He retaliates by choking her and demanding that she make a wish to save herself. Unfazed, she only laughs and taunts him, asking if the fall hurt and admitting she’s having fun. The episode ends with his hands around her neck and her feet dangling above the floor.
There were moments in this episode that were promising, such as the way the Islamic lore was woven into the genie story and the heart-drumming cliffhanger at the end, where Suzy’s crazed laugh gave us chills. The initial scenes were the present-day scenes of Ka-Young going through her daily routine, gave us glimpses into her life while still being strung along by the genie’s voiceover as he narrates his origins, which we believe hit two birds in one stone, providing audiences with mystery and clarity at the same time. However, this can also be confusing for some with how the scenes would often switch. It builds up, then lets you go, making it a challenge to keep one’s focus on the scene. We also thought the lore was heavily placed at the start, which could be overwhelming.
While the episode showcased stunning visuals and top-notch acting from the actors, a huge chunk of the runtime focused on the genie’s repeated, often comedic attempts to make Ka-young state her wishes. While the humor was intentional, it took up space that could’ve been used to develop Ka-young’s character. We learned she’s been violent since childhood, yet the show doesn’t explore the reasons behind it, making it difficult to feel empathy for her so far. It may be too early for more flashbacks, but we do hope they name these reasons earlier in this series.
Given the density of the lore, the writer kept the supporting cast minimal for the pilot, providing a balance. Aside from the leads, we meet Ka-young’s grandmother (Kim Mi-kyung), who helped her manage her violent tendencies and her estranged mother. There’s also a brief glimpse of the genie’s minion (Go Gyu-pil), though little is revealed about him. As far as casting goes, we think Woo-Bin fits the role of the mysterious but also goofy genie, and while Suzy doesn’t look like someone who enjoys violence, we thought it gave room for her to showcase her acting skills, so we’re looking forward to seeing this side of her more as the story progresses. We also saw wonderful costume designs, which were inspired by Emirati styles like long cloaks and colorful, sparkly sashes, which truly gave that magical fantasy vibe.
Special effects were also done well, with most of the magical aspects and scenes hardly looking cartoony. Overall, the pilot sets up the mythology and the leads’ fateful encounter nicely, laying the groundwork for what’s to come.
Final Verdict
It’s always refreshing to see two stars reunite on screen, and Suzy and Kim Woo-bin’s chemistry instantly reignites that spark, even when they’re literally trying to kill each other in this episode. Watching them navigate an enemies-to-lovers dynamic will no doubt be exciting, and we can only hope this story doesn’t end with one of them in hell. Then again, if K-Drama fantasies have taught us anything, it’s that humans and mythical beings rarely get their Happily Ever After. But with a writer like Kim Eun-sook behind the script, we’re keeping our hopes up for a more satisfying ending this time.
Given its fantasy premise, it’s only natural for the show to lean into a few far-fetched moments, but hopefully, it balances that out with some real, human emotion. So far, it hasn’t quite found its hook, but the good news? All 13 episodes are already out on Netflix, making it super easy to binge. The bad news? That same convenience might make it just as easy to drop, especially since the pilot didn’t clearly show what’s at stake, leaving us wondering if we should hit “Next Episode.”
Still, if you’re in the mood for a fun fantasy with a touch of darkness and a sprinkle of otherworldly romance, this one’s worth a shot. And with Suzy and Kim Woo-bin’s chemistry? We’re confident the romantic sparks will more than deliver since it’s not their first rodeo as on-screen lovers.
Watch “Genie, Make a Wish” on Netflix today.
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